Google PageRank - A short dummies Guide to what it means

This is not a major article, indeed, you can get this information direct from Google, but it does no harm to spread the word I feel. Having this information plastered everywhere will ensure that more people see the info and will learn by it.

Part of the fun of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) or now typically is referred to as SEM (Search Engine Marketing) is the challenge to link around, be a link whore you could say without the social implications of being a ‘whore’. Fundamentally, Google’s PageRank amongst it’s search engine is a measurement of a page’s value based on the quality and number of incoming and outgoing links.

Literally, a link constitutes a vote, showing how popular you are amongst other user’s, a fair way in my opinion. Clearly Google has some top secret underwraps Googlecholgy which can tally these votes and can also cast it’s claws worldwide to search for these interlinking pages.

Like the confusing (at least for me) Richter Scale, the PageRank scale is based on a 1-10 but non linear. So the difference between 4 and 5 is much greater than the difference between 3 and 4.

Typically and sensibly, pages with high PageRank have higher Google rankings then with pages with low Pagerank.

Linking from and to you site is important, but it’s not the be all and end all. And trying to cheat the Google system is a often futile and time wasting excerise. You may have some short term success, but with success comes fame then Google changing it’s alogorithm yet again. And so back to square one you go.

1. Google’s PageRank algorithm is not based entirely on inbound links.
2. A high PageRank does not guarantee a high Google rank.
3. A PageRank value viewed today may be up to three months old.

PageRank is still a good indication of how Google regards your site’s pages, but it’s not the only story.